The possible rate increase has been pitched in part as an effort to help improve infrastructure in a water system that has been scrutinized since a brain-eating amoeba was found in the system last fall.

The parish government has agreed to a $7,500 contract with UtiliWorks, officials said. The Baton Rouge company began examining the system this week and is expected to make its assessment by the end of May, St. Bernard Parish President Dave Peralta said on Thursday.

"They will look into the cost of maintaining our water and sewer system, what the costs are for repairs to our infrastructure, and what the cost of the same services are in the surrounding metro area," Peralta said. "They will not only be looking at today's costs but also the costs to run and maintain the system for the next 20 to 25 years."

Councilman Ray Lauga, who is the chairman of the council's Water and Sewer Committee, has said the parish water and sewer department has been running at nearly a $3 million annual deficit and that the parish has not had a rate increase since 1997.

A 34 percent rate increase likely would amount to about $10 to $15 more on the average residents' water bill, according to Lauga. For residents who use about 10,000 gallons a month, the bill would increase from $34.27 to $46.70.

That increase would bring in about $1.6 million a year, which could in turn help pay for a $21 to $27 million loan that the parish is attempting to get for water line improvements, according to Lauga.

After introducing the proposed increase during the March 5 council meeting, Lauga later asked the council to table it at the March 18 meeting pending a third-party audit of the sewer and water system.